LOGANIACE. 619 
regions. Illustrative Genera:—Spigelia, Linn.; Strychnos, 
Linn. There are about 200 species. 
Properties and Uses.—These plants are almost universally 
poisonous, acting on the nervous system and producing frightful 
convulsions. Several have been used in medicine in torpid 
or paralytic conditions of the muscular system, and for their 
valuable tonic, anthelmintic, and other properties, but they 
require much caution in their employment, and can generally be 
only given in very small doses. 
Gelsemium nitidum or G. sempervirens, Yellow Jasmine.—The dried 
rhizome and rootlets are official in the British and United states Pharma- 
copeeias, and are regarded as of especial value in neuralgic pains of the face 
and jaws. Gelsemium is evidently a remedy of great power, and is now 
largely employed in intermittent, remittent, typhoid, and other fevers, in 
rheumatism, various obscure nervous diseases, and other affections. The 
active principle, termed gelseminine, exercises a sedative action on the 
nervous system, and is said to correspond in its action very closely to conium. 
It is very poisonous. 
Spigelia.—S. marylandica, Carolina Pink, Wormseed, Perennial Worm- 
grass. The root and leaves of this plant are much employed in the United 
States as anthelmintics, and the rhizome and rootlets are there official. In 
large doses they operate as irritant cathartics, and in poisonous doses as 
narcotics. They are but little used in this country.— S. Anthelmia, Demerara 
Pink Root, is employed for similar purposes in Guiana and the West Indies. 
Strychnos.—This genus contains some of the most poisonous plants that 
are known.—S. Jgnatti—Lhis plant yields the seeds known as St. Ignatius’s 
Beans ; these come to us from the Philippine Islands, and are official in the 
United States Pharmacopeia. They are intensely bitter, and contain the 
alkaloid Strychnine in even larger proportions than Nux-vomica seeds. 
Their effects are similar to them; they are largely used by homceopathic 
practitioners. They are also much employed in India in native practice.— 
S. Nuzx-vomica, the Koochla tree, produces Nux-vomica seeds, so well known 
for their powerfully poisonous effects. These seeds owe their virulent properties 
to the presence of the alkaloids strychnine and brucine, but more especially to 
the former, brucine possessing, it is said, only th the activity of strychnine. 
It is stated by some authors, but upon what authority we know not, and it 
seems altogether improbable, that the fruit of Fewillea cordifolia is an anti- 
dote to this poison. (See Fewil/wa.) Both the seeds and the alkaloid strych- 
nine are official in the British Pharmacopeeia, and in proper doses they are 
employed as stimulants of the nervous system in paralysis and as valuable 
tonics. Nux-vomica seeds are imported from Coromandel, Ceylon, and other 
parts of India. In consequence of the enormous quantities which have been 
of late years brought to this country, it was thought that they were em- 
ployed in the manufacture of bitter ale on account cf their intense bitter- 
ness, but this has been satisfactorily disproved. A large quantity of both 
nux-yomica seeds and strychnine are employed by gamekeepers, and others, 
to destroy vermin; and both the seeds and strychnine are also largely 
exported to Australia, where they are extensively employed for destroying 
the native dog (dingo), and vermin. The large importation of the seeds 
into this country is therefore satisfactorily accounted for, and need give rise 
to no further misgivings as to their improper use. The bark of S. Nuz- 
vomica is also very poisonous, owing to the presence of brucine chiefly ; but 
it also contains traces of strychnine. As already noticed, it was formerly 
substituted for cusparia or angustura bark (see p. 503), hence it is likewise 
known as false angustura bark. This bark is also frequently sold in Caleutta 
under the name of Hohun, from which circumstance it has been substituted 
